Cats book semi-final showdown with Swans

Geelong ended Melbourne's season with a crushing 55-point win in their AFL elimination final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday afternoon.

The Cats led from start to finish, running out 18.8 (116) to 9.7 (61) winners.

The win was sweet revenge for the Cats who suffered a heartbreaking one-point loss to the Demons in round 20 at Kardinia Park.

Geelong will now prepare for next weekend's cut-throat semi-final against the Sydney Swans, while the Demons bow out in 2005.

Gary Ablett junior starred for the Cats with 19 touches and three goals.

Cameron Mooney also impressed with two goals and 26 possessions, while James Kelly (three goals) and Cameron Ling (two goals) made handy contributions.

Russell Robertson cut a lonely figure up front for the Demons, finishing with four goals.

Melbourne captain Adam Yze started on bench and failed to make an real impact - his only goal coming in the final quarter with the result already confirmed.

The game ended early for ruckman Jeff White who was taken to hospital with serious facial fractures after he was accidentally kicked by Cats skipper Stephen King.

Demons captain David Neitz, who was a late withdrawal due to injury, says it was hard to watch from the stands.

"We thought we were a good enough side to make the final eight and we were able to do that but you know you've got to win in September to earn respect in this competition and we weren't able to do that, and that's disappointing," he said.

Dominant force

Geelong took charge from the opening bounce, snaring the early advantage with goals to Kelly and Ling.

It took until the 16th minute for the Demons to make their mark, Russell Robertson kicking the club's opening goal.

The Cats were rewarded for getting numbers to the ball, and Mooney and Garry Ablett capitalised.

Robertson, proving a lone hand up forward, kicked his second to reduce Geelong's lead to 13 points.

However, Kent Kingsley gave the Cats a better than three-goal quarter-time advantage when he goaled from close range.

Television replays, though, suggested the umpires were wrong to award the score with the ball clearly crossing the goal line before Kingsley's boot had made contact.

Geelong's Kane Tenace and Melbourne's Aaron Davey traded goals early in the second quarter, before Robertson delivered his third major of the match to cut the margin back to 13.

However, a 45-metre effort from Gary Ablett swung the momentum back in Geelong's favour, the club kicking five unanswered goals.

Robertson eventually stopped the rot with his fourth late in the quarter, however the damage had already been done.

By half-time the match looked seemingly out of Melbourne's reach with the Cats ahead by 37 points.

Second half

The Cats kept up the attack in the third quarter and the Demons simply had no answers.

While Kelly kicked his third, the Demons were unable to trouble the scorers at the other end.

In fact, it took until the 23rd minute of the third quarter before Melbourne even posted a point.

Nathan Ablett and Steve Johnson added further goals for the Cats, before Gary Ablett let rip from 49 metres out to put the result beyond doubt.

With the prospect of a hard game against the Swans ahead of them, the Cats took their foot off the pedal in the final quarter.

The Demons showed some spirit by winning the final term three goals to two, though this was more to do with Geelong's decision to wind the match down than their own efforts.